Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Barneveld, was among only 28 House Republicans to vote this week for increasing the federal debt limit. The bill passed the Republican-controlled House with almost unanimous Democratic support. Hanna is pictured last month during a visit to the Syracuse Media Group editorial board. Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Richard Hanna stood among the minority of House Republicans once again this week as most of his colleagues voted against raising the federal debt limit.

The bill passed 221-201 Tuesday night, with nearly unanimous support from Democrats and only 28 Republicans, including Hanna, R-Barneveld, and House Speaker John Boehner.

It's not unusual for Hanna to split with conservative and Tea Party-backed Republicans. But the bill gained attention because it passed with the fewest votes from a majority party since the House began keeping digital records on roll call votes in 1991.

Hanna, a second-term congressman from Oneida County, has railed against the hyperpartisanship and dysfunction in Congress while defying the GOP majority in previous votes. He was among two House Republicans last year to vote against linking a one-year delay in the Affordable Care Act to passage of a budget that would avoid a government shutdown. And he has spoken against using for political leverage the threat of default on the nation's debt.

When it came to Tuesday's debt-limit vote, Hanna said, it was important that Congress not risk even the appearance of a willingness to default on the nation's debt when the federal borrowing limit is reached Feb. 27.

"This legislation prevents our nation from defaulting, which has never happened in our history," Hanna said in a statement explaining his vote. "The impacts of a default would be horrific for our economy, middle class families, and businesses in Upstate New York."

He added, "Default is entirely unacceptable for the United States of America and it would be painful for most every family and household I represent."

Hanna said he wants to work with Republicans and Democrats to make serious economic reforms that lower the nation's debt and unemployment rate.

"I am seriously disappointed that too many in Congress chose to miss an opportunity to couple this legislation with pragmatic spending reforms and job-creating measures that would help reduce our immoral $17 trillion dollar debt," he said. "For the good of our constituents, elected representatives need to avoid brinksmanship and resist the easy impulse to make the perfect the enemy of the possible."

Hanna scored a convincing victory over Kicinski before going on to defeat Democrat Dan Lamb in the November election by more than 20 percentage points.

Michael Vasquez, an auto and home insurance agent from Binghamton, has also announced his intent to challenge Hanna in a Republican primary this year. Democrats have not yet selected a candidate for the 22nd District seat.

The 22nd Congressional District covers all or part of eight counties, including Madison, Oneida and Cortland counties and the eastern half of Oswego County in Central New York.